Folgers No. 1 cup of Joe in America; coffee snobs may cringe

Folgers had an average market share of 15.6% in the U.S. from May to July. Starbucks, by comparison, had a 3.3% market share.

Folgers had an average market share of 15.6% in the U.S. from May to July. Starbucks, by comparison, had a 3.3% market share. (Tony Deja / Associated Press)

Ricardo Lopez

A coffee connoisseur may look for balanced flavors, acidity and proper brewing technique in their cup of Joe, but America's palate prefers a more simpler brew: Folgers.

J.M. Smucker Co., the maker of Smucker's jam and Folgers coffee, reported Wednesday that volume of its U.S. retail coffee, which includes Folgers, increased 4% in the three-month quarter that ended July 31.

The company said its U.S. retail coffee segment profit increased 16% to $19.6 million in the first fiscal quarter of 2014 compared to the same period a year earlier.

Folgers, much to the chagrin of coffee snobs, is still the leading brand sold on the U.S. market, according to Bloomberg Businessweek. Folgers had an average market share of 15.6% in the U.S. from May to July.